Trekmate! Kasparov tribute

I am building an old Trek Multitrack into a mixed terrain tourer. The aim is to build a budget Surly Crosscheck alike for less than the cost of a Crosscheck f+f.

Looking about these seem to have a little cult following as a cheap versatile frame that can tour, cx, off-road etc.

Made of nice True Temper OX in the US of mf A.

Dedicated to the great Gary Kasaparov
"The stock market and the gridiron (the bicycle) and the battlefield aren’t as tidy as the chessboard, but in all of them, a single, simple rule holds true: make good decisions and you’ll succeed; make bad ones and you’ll fail."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMe-hvCwTRo

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Wheels.
Mavic a319 deore hubs

Finishing kit:
Haven't decided on drops or risers yet.

Option A: compact drops I have spare with a riser stem.
Option B: wide trekking riser bars with a low stem.
Option C: quill converter with some os gravel drops I have spare.

Gears:

165mm black Spa cranks
34t surly ring
Microshift 11-46 cassette
Microshift 9sp rear mech
Microshift thumbshifter

Mudguards:

A: Planet X have chromoplastic on sale
B: some more basic option as mostly riding in good weather hopefully

Tyres:
Schwalbe marathon Mondial 35

Carry:

Pelago rack up front with ortlieb gravel panniers
Restrap Frame bag for tools
Platypus approved sleeping bag in a saddlebag

Other bits:

Deore LX rear V
Deore XTR front V

Fabric scoop

Some dmr flat pedals
Maybe some bar ends

Updated with a pic

I like the old treks. The 1989 520 is my favourite.

Is this 700c?

Here’s some inspiration

https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/ayfdzd/thought_some_of_you_might_like_my_92_trek_970/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

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Is this 700c?

26”.

Good project

The singletrack in the picture is 26" but the multitrack is 700c (at least mine is but I don't know if there's a difference between the 730 and 750?)

Cool project! Here my multitrack. Got it for free last summer and built it up for a tour round Scotland. Really lovely bikes!

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Yep it's 700c.
Parts are slowly arriving in the post.

I cannot decide on the handlebar setup.

I have a riser stem I could setup with these wide bars
https://www.tokyobike.co.uk/nitto-handlebar-commuter-b812.html
I could put some barends in the middle, bit quirky but would offer several hand positions.

Or drops

Nice. Looks ideal!

Nice frame.

Here's my mate's old Trek for inspo. We swapped the head tube for a 1 1/8" but that doesn't change the fact that Trek made awesome stuff back in the days.

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@cumbrian_caterpillar

Swapped the head tube eh... Swapped the head tube. Hmmmm

Easily done 🤠✅

"The opening is the only phase that holds out the potential for true creativity and doing something entirely new."

Project has stalled over handlebar decisions. I was really against a ahead converter but the lack of choice / price / various standards of quill stems has made me rethink.
Going to use an adaptor with modern stem and bars and ultimately switch to threadless forks.
I've got some flared drops and Jones copies in the spares box so makes sense.

After much faff I ditched the quill converter.

Decision made its quill stem with Nitto flat bars.

Finally starting to come together now.did a test fit with the ortliebs which I had to modify to fit the Pelago rack.

Camping gear (tarp, hammock, sleeping mat etc) in one pannier, clothes in the other. Sleeping bag will be in a dry bag on top of the rack. Tools and a jacket in the top tube bag.

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this is looking slammin'

✌️

whats the max tyre you can fit in there you reckon?